What are your biggest household expenses other than rent/mortgage?
By ShadyGrove
@ShadyGrove (996)
United States
April 14, 2007 9:11am CST
It seems that utilities and food costs are getting higher and higher all the time. Besides my mortgage the biggest expense for our family are the heating and electric costs. After that would come the food/grocery shopping bills. Then would come the phone/internet and cell phone costs.
Is there much left over at the end of the month! lol
I am on a budget plan with the propane/heat so that they spread the payments out over the year -- I get the propane at a cheaper cost that way, but my bill is always the same - so even in the summer I pay the same as in the winter. It's easier to budget, but you do not ever get a break on the monthly bills.
Does anybody else have any ways, like a budget plan, they they use to help save in costs?
2 people like this
4 responses
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
14 Apr 07
Not counting rent/mortgage my biggest expense has got to be food, then electric, the car insurance, cell phone, home phone, Internet, motorcycle insurance and other smaller bills I am forgetting to mention at the moment.
I'm amazed that I have anything left over after everything is paid for the month! LOL
1 person likes this
@ShadyGrove (996)
• United States
15 Apr 07
I know what you mean -- I try to write out all the incoming and outgoing and some months there just isn't enough to pay all I need to pay. It's not easy to have play money left over.
@scarlet_woman (23465)
• United States
14 Apr 07
heating oil,definetly.it's over 2000 a year to heat the house for 3 or 4 short months.and that's with a budget plan.i try to keep it as comfortably low as i can,but it's still high.
i wish i could convert to another heating type,but gas and electric is just as expensive.in fact,electric may be more here.
1 person likes this
@ShadyGrove (996)
• United States
15 Apr 07
yes, the cost of propane, or heat in any way has really taken a big jump in costs this year. The gas prices have affected so many things.
1 person likes this
@desertdarlene (8910)
• United States
25 Mar 08
Hi ShadyGrove! I wouldn't consider this a household expense, but my student loan is my next biggest expense and the single reason why I don't move to a better place or drive a better car. Next would be my car payment and then food. But, cooling and heating would be up there, but I don't spend very much because I have a high heat tolerance and cover myself up when it's cold.
